The Metrolink Board of Directors today announced Art Leahy will become the agency’s next CEO effective April 20, 2015. The motion and contract was unanimously approved. “When the position became available at Metrolink, I was immediately intrigued,” Leahy said. “Having had the opportunity to work at both Metro and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), I have witnessed first-hand the incredible diligence of the Metrolink staff, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to further grow and enhance Southern California’s six-county rail system.”

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), the agency that governs Metrolink, is made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. In addition to those counties, Metrolink provides service into northern San Diego County. Continue reading→

Mr. O’Toole travels a lot and addresses those who will listen about the follies and unjustifiability of historically popular public transportation systems, especially “light” rail, and streetcars that are merely light rail with a friendlier, more comfortable, more nostalgic and salable label.

We’ve railed for years against the planners in Anaheim, Santa Ana and particularly the rail fanatics at the Orange County Transportation Authority that ignore all the evidence and promote this costly nonsense on busy streets that need no more congestion, or injuries, or deaths.

Let’s have a look at OCTA’s “partner’s” record. A simple Google search for ‘caltrans abuses’ found plenty of evidence of why these folks (and their friends at SCAG) ought to be run out of town: Continue reading→

…to proceed with a $1.3 billion project to add a single free lane in each direction of the freeway. That project still needs to win agreement from Caltrans, which expects to decide early in 2014 whether to support it. Continue reading→